This invention relates in general to footwear and, in particular, to an athletic, sport, or leisure shoe for use in exercising or in practicing for sporting events. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiments and/or use which are shown and described for purposes of illustration, this invention relates to an exercise shoe which can be selectively weighted for increasing leg strength, improving quickness of movement, or used in general walking to burn off extra calories.
Many participants in sporting events or recreational sports participants exercise to increase leg strength, stamina and to improve the player's ability to excel at the sport. Running or jogging while carrying extra weight is believed to increase leg strength, quickness of movement, stamina or endurance as well as working the cardiovascular system and burning off excess body fat. Various ways of increasing or adding extra weight while exercising have included wearing a weight belt, weight vest or jacket, or wearing ankle or wrist weights which comprise bands of material containing weight. Wrist or ankle weights are worn about the wrist or the ankles and secured by straps, snaps or hook-and-loop fastening systems such as sold under the trademark "VELCRO".
In using ankle weights to increase leg strength, quickness and/or stamina etc., one of the problems generally encountered is that the weights rub or chafe the skin causing discomfort and blisters. If such weights are worn for a sustained period of time, the constant localized pressure on the foot and/or ankles is uncomfortable frequently causing soreness where the weight bears against the body. When running or jogging, the inertia of the weight mass may also impose a twisting force on the foot.
While exercising with increased weight is desirable to improve sports proficiency or improved physical conditioning, those devices presently available suffer from these above shortcomings.